Automobile signal lamp



AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL LAMP Filed June 19, 1925 ATTORNEY Patented aan, i,rezav nuiTs sTaTss TaTenT @Trice ROSCOE BERINGE, OIE DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 'IO GENERAL MOTORS COR- AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL LAMP.

Application mea June 1a, 1925-'. :iseriai No. 38,245.

My invention relates to lamps such as are used at the rear ends of motordriven vehicles as signals to drivers of other vehicles, andparticularly to lamps of the type or class wherein a red signal isdisplayed and the license plate of the vehicle is illuminatedby oneelectric lamp, which is com`- monly lit all the time; wherein 'a stopsignal having that word or other device is displayed, as by causinglight rays 'from another lamp to shine through a transparent plate rponwhich the stop or other signal is impressed in opaque characters, whenthe vspeed of the vehicle is substantially reduced or when a turn is tobe made;

and wherein a third lamp is caused to shine.

through a transparent lens when the vehicle is to be driven backward.The lamp whereby the red tail lamp is displayed and the .license plateilluminated is commonly lit all the time at night, whereas the stop andbacking signals are displayed only when the speed of the vehicle isreduced below a predetermined rate, and when the vehicle 1s to bebacked. v,This as a matter of course contemplates the use of suitableswitching mechanism with thel lamp per se wherein' my invention consistswhich mechanism,

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however, isnot disclosed herein, as it formsY no part of the inventionto which this present application relates.

My invention as suggested relates to lamps of the general type'abovedescribed; and the object thereof is to provide an improved lampstructure of that type. which will be materially simpler, and cheaper tomanufacture, than has heretofore been the case; as such lamps haveheretofore been of quite complicated and intricate constructions, havebeen costly to manufacture, and have been liable to get out of' orderwhen in use.

VV-ith the above and other objects of invention in view my inventionconsists in the improved lamp structure illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, described in the following specification, and specificallyclaimed and modifications thereof, within the scope 0f ,the concludingclaims, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which myinvention relates. l

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification andwherein the preferred form of my invention is illustrated:

Figure l is a view showing my improved lamp structure in elevation, andas seen from a position to the rear thereof,

Figure 2 is a view showing a section thereof upon a horizontal planeindicated by the line 22, Figure l, l

F1gu're3 is a View showing a section upon a vertical plane transverse tothe lamp structure,- and indicated by the line 3 3, Figure '2,

Figure-4 is a fragmentary view showing a section upon a plane indicatedby the line H, Figure 3, Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing asection upon a plane indicated by the line 5-5, Figure 1. i

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 6 designates themain external shell or casing of my improved lamp structure, the samebeing made from thinl sheet metal bent and shaped to' impart theproper'form thereto, as by the use of suitable dies; the casing being ahollow oblong structure open along one side which is rearward when thelamp is in use, 'so that the three 2 and said'shell is provided with. anopening l 8 arranged opposite the open side Zvthrough Y which thetubular part or neclrof a bracket whereby the lampis supported extends,and with an opening at 9 in its lower wall through which light fromwithin the casing shines to illuminate the usual license plate carriedby the vehicle with which the lamp is used.

The casing ,6 is suppord from a suitable support (not shown) by abracket comprising a substantially rectangular base portion l0 lyingwithin the casing and secured thereto as by four screws 11, and atubular neck portion l2 disposed at right angles to said base andextending through the opening 8 in the casing and far 'enough to providea suliciently hrm support for the lamp; thebase having op ositelydisposed vertically extending side anges 13, and the lower edge thereofbeing recessed at M to preiice vide proper clearance for a socket whichsupports a lamp which illuminates the license plate which is supportedby a bracket 16, and shines also through a red lens 17 to provide theusual tail light when the lamp is in usel with a motor vehicle. Thelicense carrying bracket 16 has upwardly extending arms 18 whichstraddle the neck 12, and are provided with four holes so spaced thatthe screws 11 hereinbefore mentioned extend through them; the screwsthus serving to fasten the license bracket 16, the external casing 6 andthe base 10 together into a unitary structure. i

Arranged inside theshell 6 are two subi stantially parallel verticalpartitions 19 having each a marginal flange 20 a straight portion ofwhich lies in the plane of the open side 7 of the casing, and the restof which is so shaped as to vfit close to the inner surface of thecasing; and whereby the interior of thev casing is divided into threelamp chambers the middle one of which contains the tail lamp 15 and theside ones of which house one a lbacking light 21 which vshines through aclear glass lens 22 when the vehicle moves backward, and the other 'astop lamp 23 which illuminates a transparent stop signal 24 when thevehicle is slowed down for any reason. The partitions 19 have sockets 25whereby the lamps 21 and 23 are supported and the axes of which socketsextend perpendicular to the partitions, 'and parallelwith the longerdimensionof the case and lamp structure regarded as a whole; and saidpartitions are fastened to the vertical side flanges 13 of the base 10by rivets 26 as shown. n

The tail lamp 15 is supported by a socket 261 which is fastened to theend wall of the casing 6 and light therefrom shines through a curvedtransparent window 27 of olear glass to illuminate the license plate,said window being entirely inside the casing and held in place over theopening 9, and against marginal stops 28 integral with the casing 6, bylugs 29 which extend from the lower portions of theperipheral flanges 2Oof thc partitions 19.

The'sockets whereby the lamps 15, 21 and 23 are supported are grounded,and current is supplied to said lamps through terminals 30, 31 and 32extending through passages in a block of insulating material 33contained within the tubular neck portion 12, whereby the lamp structurein its entirety is supported by means not shown; said terminals havingspring arms 34, 35 and 36 which press against the central insulatedterminals of the several lamps. The bleek 33 has longitudinallyextending groove 37 to position it properly so that the several sprl g'terminals will be in positions to 'the central terminals of theseveral. lamps, and said block is held in proper pesi'tion'within thetubular neck 12 by a set screw 38 the inner end of which enters saidgroove.

The lenses 17, 22 and 24 are all supported in openings formed in a coverplate 39 which Y forms a closure for the open side of the casing 6, andwhich fits close against the vertical portions of the flanges 2() of thepartitions 19 to thereby prevent leakage of light rays from 'one lampcompartment to another of the caslng; said plate having a marginalflange 40 which overlies the free edge of the casing -about the opening7. The lenses abut against shoulders 41 in the openings provided forthem and are held in place within their several openings by expansiblesplit rings 42 of wire, lying within grooves 43, one in each opening.The cover plate 39 is heldin place b v four screws 44 eX- tendingthrough holes therein and the inner ends of which enter threaded lugs 45fastened` inside the casing 6 adjacent the open side thereof; so thatthe plate and the lenses carried thereby may be readily removed as aunit when it becomes necessary to replace burned out lamps or brokenlenses, or when for any other reason it becomes necessary to gain accessto the interior of the lamp structure.

rlhe inner surface of the casing 6, and the surfaces of the partitions19 and the inner surface of the base 10 are ordinarily coatedY withwhite enamel, or otherwise treated to make them good reflectors of thelight rays emanating from the several lamps.

Having thus described my invention and explained the operation thereof lclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: l 1. ln a lamp of theclass described` an oblong hollowcasing open along one side: asup-porting bracket having a subtantially rectangular base portionlocated within said casing, and a tubular portion extending from saidbase through an opening in the casing wall; two partitions locatedwithin said casing and arranged substantially perpendicular to thelonger axis of said casing, and which partitions are fastened toopposite edges of said base portion and serve todivide the interior ofsaid casing into three lamp compartments; lamp sockets carried one byeach of said partitions and adapted to support lanips in the outsidelamp compartments: a

lamp socket adapted to support a. lamp in the middle lamp compartment;suppl)r conductors extending through the tubular portion aforesaid ofsaid supporting bracket and through which electricity is supplied tolamps supported by said several lamp sockets; transparent lensesassociated one with each of said lamp compartments: 'and means forsupporting said lenses substanly in the plane of the open side of said hln lamp of the class described, an oblong hollow casing along side;

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' tion extending through a supporting bracket having a substantiallyrectangular base portion located Within said casing, anda tubularportion extending from said base through an opening inthe casing wall;two. partitions located within said casing and arranged substantiallyperpendicuthree supply terminals extending through passages in a blockof insulating material contained within the tubular portion aforef saidof said supporting bracket; three spring arms carried one by each ofsaid terminals, and which arms are located within the central one ofsaid lamp compartments, and

through which arms electricity is supplied,

to lamps supported by said several' lamp sockets; transparent lensesassociated one with each of said lamp compartments; and means forsupporting said lenses ysubstantially in the plane of the open side ofsaid casing.

3. In a lamp of the class described, an oblonghollow casing the interiorof which is divided in'to three lamp compartments having each a lamparranged to shine through lenses associated one with each compartment,and the central one of which compartments is provided with a bottomopening; a supporting bracket having a base portion arranged inside thecasing, and

anopening-in the wall of the casing; a, license supporting bracketadaptedto support a license in position to be illuminated by lightshining through the bottom opening aforesaid; fastening membersextending through holes in said base portion, in the casingwall and insaid license supporting bracket, to thereby fasten said parts t gether;land means port a tubular por--l extendingthrough the tubular ortion ofsaid supporting bracket. for supplying electricity to lamps located onewithin each of saidlamp compartments.

'4. In a lamp of the class described, a hollow casing open along oneside; twopartitions located within 'said casing and whereby the interiorthereof is divided into three lamp compartments; a cover plate closingthe open side of said casi-ng and having three openingstherein, oneassociated witheach lamp compartment; lenses secured one in each of saidopenings;a centrally arranged tubular support for supporting saidcasing; lamps located one within each of said lamp compartments; a blockof insulating material arranged within said tubular support; and currentsupplying conductors extending through said block -of insulatingmaterial and into the middle'one of said compartments for supplyingelectricity to said sev- ,eral lamps. v Y

' 5. In a lamp of the class described, a hollow casing open along oneside, and havlng also a Centrally arranged openmg 1n its bottom wall;two partltions located wlthin said casing one upon each side of saidbottom opening; whereby the interior of said casing is divided intothree lamp compartments; a cover plate closing the open side of saidcasing and having three openings therein, one associated with each lampcompartment; lenses secured one in each of said openings; a transparentwindow inside said opening; a centrally arranged tubular ,supforsupporting said casing; lamps located one within each of said lampcompartf ments;- a block of insulating material arranged within saidtubular support; and current supplying conductors extending through saidblock of insulating material and into the middle one of saidcompartments for supplying electricity to said several lamps.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ROSCOE BERINGER.

casing and extending across said bottom

